JENN•IFER MARTINEZ
“Land Home”
At the base of my work is a desire to heal and question the deepest layers of my identity ruled by my past. The places I would inhabit in both the Dominican Republic and New Jersey, have shaped my understanding of how interior spaces can reflect my cultural perceptions, and fears toward exterior environments.
My practice is focused on reimagining what I want the shape of my “home” to take, with consideration to how I want to embody or represent myself within space. Interior Spaces have the biggest influence on how I perceive the exterior world. I've spent most of my adolescence indoors while also moving back and forth between family members' homes. Leaving me constantly feeling dislocated.
Adapting to familiar environments became a process where I would step back and try not to get in anyone's way. My practice encourages me to take up space in a way that lets me leave a piece of “home” in everything I make. With consideration to my cultural and social positionality, I aim to create a culmination of spaces and works that represent how my past has influenced the way I want to navigate living spaces.
